Wages in Weymouth and Portland are way below the national average: at the same time, house prices and rents greatly exceed costs across the UK. People in W&P face a “double whammy” – chronically low wages and unaffordable housing.

This month’s conference (October 13) called by Weymouth & Portland Action on Wages (WeyPAW) asks why we face this crisis – and what can be done.

Many jobs in South Dorset are seasonal, insecure and paid at or below the minimum wage. In contrast, the cost of housing remains high and is unaffordable for most young people.

Housing charity Shelter says that on average, house prices in the UK are almost seven times people’s incomes. “No matter how hard they work, it’s becoming more and more difficult for young people to save up and buy a home of their own,” says Shelter. “Things have to change. Urgent reform is needed.”

In Weymouth house prices are now 11 times greater than incomes. In September 2018 the average cost of a house in Weymouth was £267,784 – over £50,000 more than the national average.

Young families and young people who want to live independently face huge problems: meanwhile hundreds of local properties remain empty. There are almost 800 unoccupied properties in Weymouth and Portland, with many empty for over six months.

What can be done?

Weymouth resident Steve Bendle has spent many years in affordable housing development, management and finance, most recently supporting the community land trust movement in England, including in Dorset. He says: “The Local Plan Review for Weymouth & Portland and for West Dorset proposes designating more precious greenfield sites for housing.

“In giving up this amenity, the community has a right to expect that the housing which gets built meets local needs. The councils’ definition of affordable is inadequate – all homes costing under £250,000 to buy and rents at 80% market rent are designated ‘affordable’.

“The Plan also relies on developers to build homes of the right size, type and specification when their main aim is to keep costs down.

“So the opportunities presented by these new housing developments risk being squandered. It’s time for local councils to take a more proactive role in both planning and land ownership so that families and young people can build stable lives in homes they can afford on local wages.

“We propose more Neighbourhood Plans that set out more precisely what type of homes are needed. Planning Committees can also prepare Supplementary Planning Documents for all the larger sites and involve local people in their drafting to make sure of the right outcomes.

“Otherwise we could just lose our green spaces without meeting our housing needs. The only people benefiting will be landowners and the developers.

“We can do better than this: developing part of every scheme to our own requirements with social rented homes and shared ownership at level of equity people can afford to buy, as well as action on empty and second homes.”

Conference

Steve Bendle will be speaking at the WeyPAW conference on Saturday October 13 – 12 midday at Safewise, Radipole Lane, Weymouth. Other speakers include Professor Danny Dorling of Oxford University on wages and inequality, and Eva Herman of Manchester University, who will introduce discussion on women, wages and rights at work. Admission is free – all are welcome.

Why are wages in Weymouth & Portland the lowest in the UK? Why are our schools struggling and why, at a time of need, are hospitals and health services in W&P being cut again and again? Why does no one take responsibility? What can we do?

Wages – housing

Wages and living standards in South Dorset continue to decline. Despite years of talk – about development, business initiatives, the Olympic legacy – thousands of people in W&P struggle with poverty wages and insecure jobs. At the same time, housing costs rise relentlessly – the gap between local wages and the cost of housing is one of the biggest in the UK.

Young people face the prospect of insecure, seasonal employment, often on zero-hours contracts. Elderly people find that their services are being eroded and – the latest blow – that vital beds at Portland Community Hospital have been cut.

Conference

Our MPs and councils have failed to address these issues. They shift responsibility onto other bodies and agencies – and these, too, fail to tackle the real problems faced by thousands of people said to live in “forgotten towns”.

WeyPAW believes we can – we must – do better. We have called an open conference to discuss what lies behind these problems – and what policies we need to tackle them.

We have invited one of Britain’s leading experts on incomes and inequality, Professor Danny Dorling of Oxford University, to introduce discussion on the crisis in South Dorset. We have also invited Eva Herman of Manchester Universityto address the particular problems of women and low pay, and Nigel Costley of the South-West TUCto discuss issues of rights at work.

Local activists will address problems in our schools and in health and welfare services, and introduce ideas for policies that can make a difference.

This is an open public forum: all those attending will be invited to express their views. Admission is free – donations are welcome.

WeyPAW Conference: Saturday 13 October, 12pm-4pm

Safewise, 481 Radipole Lane, Weymouth DT4 0QF (bus route 8)

WeyPAW campaigns against poverty wages and to promote well-being in Weymouth & Portland